2. です, the Copula

です is a copula (a word used to link the subject of a sentence with a predicate).
It shows that something is or isn't something else.
It is one of the very few irregular forms in Japanese. です can act like the English "to be" (you know; is, am, are...)
in the sense that です is used to explain who or what something or someone is. It is also used when equating one thing with another.

Let's take a look.

ゾウ は 大きい です。

Romaji:

zou wa ookii desu.

Literal:

elephants (topic particle)bigare

Natural:

Elephants are large.

これ は ねこ です。

Romaji:

kore wa neko desu.

Literal:

this (topic particle)catis

Natural:

This is a cat.

Most of the time you want to use the "to be" verb you will use です.
Later we will learn ot